Air-car



(No Model.)

A.BRODBEGK.

AIR OAR. I

Patented July 20, 1897.

Haitian STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOlQla BRQDBECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Al R CAR.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.,586,590, dated. July 20, 1897.

Application filed August 26, 1896. Serial No. ($0 1,043. (No model.)

1:0 it kuown'iliat i, Anonr Beoonnon, a subject of the lilmpcror of Germany, residing at (Ihicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in r kli cill'S; and I do hereby declare the followi ngto be a full, clear, and act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in aerial railways, and has more particular relation to such railways as have a positive connection with the earth. I

This invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of a modifiedform of railway. Fig. 3 represeats a transverse vertical section through the form of my invention shown in Fig. l.

A A in the drawings represent the elevated wires or rails; B, the balloon; (J, the carry ing;basket attached thereto, and D the trolley connecting the balloon with the wires or rails. The balloon B is preferably of the well-known cigar-shaped pattern and has attached thereto the usual car or basket C by netting, guy-ropes, list-H, as is usual in this peculiar structure of balloon. Trollcy-supporting rods 0 c extend downward from the car 0 to support the trolley D, which trolley is provided with traction-wheels (Z (Z, adapted to run upon the underside of one of the rails or Wires A and thus prevent the balloon from rising away from thecaiahnandatthe same time supplying the propellinganotor within the car with the" electric fluid flowing along said wire. As the car has no other conncction with the earth than through said wires or rails A, it is necessary to provide both positive and negative wires to feed the motor within the basket or car 0. This I accomplish by stringing an auxiliary wire A beside the first-mentioned wire A and connecting the same with the trolley .l) byan auxiliary trolley (1'. Suitable propelling wheels or fans E are mounted upon the basket 0 and; are adapted to be driven by the motor therein to propel the balloon forward.

It will be observed from the above that the usual drawback of the balloon floating around aimlessly is obviated and a positive direction given to the same by means of the lines of wires or rails to which it is positively connectcd. It is sometimes preferable, as shown in. Fi g. 2, to mount the balloon below the supporting and restraining wires. In this case the ascending power of the balloon would be just sutficient to cause the balloon to have a very slight gravity, so as to pull down with a very slight pressure upon the guiding and supplying rail or wire. This will obviate all friction and at the same time provide a positive guide for the balloon and car. 'In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the ascending power of the balloon would of. course have to be suilicicnt to support it above its wires A A, said balloon always having a slight tendency to rise higher, thus keeping the trolley D always firmly against the under side of the rail A.

I also contemplate employing only one guiding rail or wire, in which case the return of the electric fluid would have to be through the atmosphere to the earth, or an independent motor would have to be mounted within the car, which latter would be required to carry the desired amount of fuel for operating the same.

My pparatus, as well as being applicable for passengers, can also be very aptly employed for the transportation of baggage, mail, and the like, in which case all the parts would be made upon a correspondingly small scale.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an aerial railway, the combination with an elevated insulated electric rail, of a balloon having a conical point at each end, a car suspended from said balloon, and an electric propelling mechanism mounted on said car and electrically connected to said rail, an auxiliary insulated electric rail independent of the first-mentioned rail, and means electrically connecting said auxiliary rail with the electric propelling mechanism, substantially as described. I

2. In an aerial railway, the combination with an electric elevated rail, of aballoon, a trolley-carriage mounted on said rail, rods connecting said'balloon and said carriage, a

car suspended from said balloon, electric propelling mechanism carried by said car, an auxiliary electric rail and a pivoted trolley 1 o contacting with said auxiliary rail and carried by the aforesaid trolley-carriage, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLF BRODBECK.

Vitnesses:

CARL IIAERTING, CARL I-I. NEsTMANN. 

